Game will be battle of offenses

It’s the annual game for the Paul Bunyan Trophy on Saturday at Spartan Stadium when the MSU football team meets its archrival, Michigan.

The Spartans picked up their first win in the series since 2001 with a 35-21 triumph in Ann Arbor last season.

This year, the resurgent Wolverines come to East Lansing with a 4-0 record while the Spartans have stumbled out of the gates to the tune of a 1-3 record.

Here’s how the two teams match up:

U-M quarterback Tate Forcier vs. MSU’s defense

Forcier is a threat to all 11 MSU defenders. A true freshman, Forcier has passed for almost 700 yards with seven touchdowns and has added another 127 on the ground with two scores. His versatility gives the U-M offense something it didn’t have last year and something head coach Rich Rodriguez craves — a dual-threat quarterback. It’s no secret MSU’s defense has struggled this season, allowing 29, 33 and 38 points in the last three games. And U-M offense has been no slouch, scoring an average of 37.5 points.

With the way the Spartans have tackled during the past few weeks, containing Forcier is going to be a challenge. Junior linebacker Greg Jones probably will have to play the best game of his MSU career and his fellow linebackers and defensive ends cannot let Forcier escape to the outside. That’s easier said than done.

Advantage: U-M

MSU quarterbacks Kirk Cousins and Keith Nichol vs. U-M’s secondary

The same way MSU’s defense has struggled, U-M’s has struggled as well, allowing 34 and 33 points to Notre Dame and Indiana, respectively. Cousins and Nichol have had their ups and downs this season, especially last week against Wisconsin. Still, the two combined for almost 400 yards passing. Both have shown poise and bring a different element to the game.

Both have strong arms and are capable receivers who can make plays. Cousins likely will start, but expect Nichol to see time early in the second quarter. They will have plenty of time to throw, considering U-M’s defense has generated only four sacks in four games but has intercepted four passes. Both will need to be smart and play mistake-free football and likely will have pressure to score on a bulk of possessions.

Advantage: MSU

MSU special teams vs. U-M special teams

In a game that could be close, special teams always plays a big role. MSU’s specialists, senior kicker Brett Swenson and junior punter Aaron Bates, are one of the top duos in the nation. U-M isn’t too shabby, either, as punter Zoltan Mesko ranks third in the Big Ten (a spot behind Bates) in punting, but kicker Jason Olesnavage has only attempted four field goals — making three.

This battle will come down to kick and punt coverage. Statistically, U-M significantly is better on kick coverage than MSU. In a game where field position is crucial, getting kickoffs deep will be important for Swenson. With both defenses struggling, the little things will win or lose this game for one of the teams. This game will be decided by special teams.

Advantage: Even